Knee protection device

Abstract

Disclosed is knee protection equipment including: a unit for resting on the ground, intended to be positioned in the immediate vicinity of the knee, and/or the unit resting on the ground being intended to be positioned level with the tibia; a harness intended to be arranged level with the pelvis; the harness and the unit for resting on the ground being connected by a rigid arm intended to be positioned laterally and externally to the thigh, the equipment being able to pass from a standing position in which the unit for resting on the ground are positioned level with the knee and/or level with the tibia, to a kneeling position in which the unit for resting on the ground bear on the ground and are able to transmit at least part of the vertical load force to the harness.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A knee protection equipment for a person kneeling on a ground comprising:
 a left means for resting on the ground configured to be positioned at a level corresponding to the left tibia of the person, comprising a left element ( 50 ) configured to cover the left tibia of the person; 
 a right means for resting on the ground configured to be positioned at a level corresponding with the right tibia of the person, comprising a right element ( 50 ′) configured to cover the right tibia of the person; 
 a harness ( 3 ) configured to be positioned at a level corresponding with the pelvis of the person so that the person can sit in the harness, 
 said harness ( 3 ) and said left element ( 50 ) is connected by a first left rigid arm ( 4 ) configured to be positioned laterally and externally to the left thigh of the person, wherein: 
 said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at a first proximal end by a first connection, 
 said first left element ( 50 ) is connected to said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) at a distal end by a first articulation ( 6 ) via a second left rigid arm ( 5 ) secured to the left element ( 50 ), said first articulation ( 6 ) joining and articulating said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) and said second left rigid arm ( 5 ), 
 said harness ( 3 ) and said right element ( 50 ′) is connected by a first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) configured to be positioned laterally and externally to the right thigh of the person, wherein: 
 said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at a second proximal end by a second connection, 
 said first right element ( 50 ′) is connected to said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) at a distal end by a first articulation ( 6 ′) via a second right rigid arm ( 5 ′) secured to the right element ( 50 ′), said first articulation ( 6 ′) joining and articulating said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) and said second right rigid arm ( 5 ′), 
 the knee protection equipment being able to pass from a standing position by the person in which the left means for resting on the ground and the right means for resting on the ground are positioned at a level corresponding with the tibia of the person, to a kneeling position by the person in which the left means for resting on the ground and the right means for resting on the ground bear on the ground and are able to transmit at least part of a vertical load force applied by the person to the harness, and wherein: 
 said first articulation ( 6 ) and said second articulation ( 6 ′) each have a stop that limits a bending motion to a locked position, in the kneeling position by the person, said first left element ( 50 ) and said first right element ( 50 ′) each bears on the ground and each is able to transmit the load force applied by the person to the harness, 
 said first articulation ( 6 ) is configured to lock after bending by a first angle as measured between said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) and said second left rigid arm ( 5 ) of less than 90°, and 
 said second articulation ( 6 ′) is configured to lock after bending by a second angle as measured between said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) and said second right rigid arm ( 5 ′) of less than 90° to enable the person to maintain a seated position while resting on the harness ( 3 ). 
 
     
     
       2. The equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein said left means for resting on the ground and said right means for resting on the ground are further configured to be positioned level with the left knee and the right knee of the person, respectively, and comprise a framework fixed rigidly to a distal end of said left rigid arm and said right rigid arm, respectively. 
     
     
       3. The equipment according to  claim 2 , wherein in which said framework is semi-cylindrical in shape so as to pass round the left knee and the right knee of the person from the front of the person. 
     
     
       4. The equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said left rigid arm and said right rigid arm has a length, each comprises means for adjusting its the length so as to adapt the knee protection equipment to a body shape of the person, and each comprises two parts that are configured to be positioned with respect to each other by a plurality of adjustment orifices ( 11 ). 
     
     
       5. The knee protection equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first articulation ( 6 ) is configured to lock after bending by a said first angle as measured between said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) and said second left rigid arm ( 5 ) of between 30° and 50°, and said second articulation ( 6 ′) is configured to lock after bending by said second angle as measured between said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) and said second right rigid arm ( 5 ′) of between 30° and 50°. 
 
     
     
       6. The knee protection equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first connection by which said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at said first proximal end is a flexible connection comprising a strap, and 
 said second connection by which said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at said second proximal end is a flexible connection comprising a strap. 
 
     
     
       7. The knee protection equipment according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first connection by which said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at said first proximal end is an articulated connection, and 
 said second connection by which said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at said second proximal end is an articulated connection. 
 
     
     
       8. An assembly comprising a knee protection equipment for a person kneeling on a ground comprising:
 a left means for resting on the ground configured to be positioned at a level corresponding to the left tibia of the person, comprising a left element ( 50 ) configured to cover the left tibia of the person; 
 a right means for resting on the ground configured to be positioned at a level corresponding with the right tibia of the person, comprising a right element ( 50 ′) configured to cover the right tibia of the person; 
 a harness ( 3 ) configured to be positioned at a level corresponding with the pelvis of the person so that the person can sit in the harness, 
 said harness ( 3 ) and said left element ( 50 ) is connected by a first left rigid arm ( 4 ) configured to be positioned laterally and externally to the left thigh of the person, wherein: 
 said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at a first proximal end by a first connection, 
 said first left element ( 50 ) is connected to said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) at a distal end by a first articulation ( 6 ) via a second left rigid arm ( 5 ) secured to the left element ( 50 ), said first articulation ( 6 ) joining and articulating said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) and said second left rigid arm ( 5 ), 
 said harness ( 3 ) and said right element ( 50 ′) is connected by a first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) configured to be positioned laterally and externally to the right thigh of the person, wherein: 
 said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) is connected to said harness ( 3 ) at a second proximal end by a second connection, 
 said first right element ( 50 ′) is connected to said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) at a distal end by a first articulation ( 6 ′) via a second right rigid arm ( 5 ′) secured to the right element ( 50 ′), said first articulation ( 6 ′) joining and articulating said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) and said second right rigid arm ( 5 ′), 
 the knee protection equipment being able to pass from a standing position by the person in which the left means for resting on the ground and the right means for resting on the ground are positioned at a level corresponding with the tibia of the person, to a kneeling position by the person in which the left means for resting on the ground and the right means for resting on the ground bear on the ground and are able to transmit at least part of a vertical load force applied by the person to the harness, and wherein: 
 said first articulation ( 6 ) and said second articulation ( 6 ′) each have a stop that limits a bending motion to a locked position, in the kneeling position by the person, said first left element ( 50 ) and said first right element ( 50 ′) each bears on the ground and each is able to transmit the load force applied by the person to the harness, 
 said first articulation ( 6 ) is configured to lock after bending by a first angle as measured between said first left rigid arm ( 4 ) and said second left rigid arm ( 5 ) of less than 90°, and 
 said second articulation ( 6 ′) is configured to lock after bending by a second angle as measured between said first right rigid arm ( 4 ′) and said second right rigid arm ( 5 ′) of less than 90° to enable the person to maintain a seated position while resting on the harness ( 3 ), and trousers, wherein said harness of the equipment is secured to the trousers at a location configured to be level with the pelvis of the person. 
 
     
     
       9. The assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein said left means for resting on the ground, said right means for resting on the ground, said left rigid arm, and said right rigid arm are internal to the trousers.